The U.S. pet care and services market reached approximately $62.1 billion in 2025 and is projected to grow to $66.3 billion in 2026. With 95 million American households owning at least one pet and dog walking alone generating around $1.3 billion annually across roughly 35,000 businesses, demand for pet care services is clearly strong.
“How do I start a pet sitting business?” is a common question among aspiring pet care operators. Pet sitting is one of the lowest-cost service businesses to launch in the U.S., typically requiring a local business license, insurance, and basic equipment. The wider pet care market is also growing, with grooming, boarding, daycare, and dog walking seeing roughly 12% year-over-year growth.
This guide covers the key licenses, startup costs, and operational steps involved in starting a pet sitting business in the United States in .
Can Anyone Open a Pet Sitting Business?
There is no federal license required to become a pet sitter or dog walker in the United States. Most operators launch as sole proprietors or single-member LLCs with only a local business license from their city or county. A few state and city rules add specific requirements:
- A local business license from the city or county clerk.
- Doing Business As (DBA) registration or LLC formation with the state.
- General liability insurance with a Care, Custody, or Control (CCC) endorsement, essential because standard liability policies exclude damage to animals in the sitter’s care.
- A kennel or animal boarding permit if pets stay overnight in the sitter’s home, typically issued by the state department of agriculture or animal services.
- Voluntary professional certification through Pet Sitters International (PSI) or the National Association of Professional Pet Sitters (NAPPS), commonly requested by clients.
Bonding is not legally required for a pet sitting business, but a fidelity bond is widely used to reassure clients whose homes the sitter enters. Standard $10,000 fidelity bonds typically cost $100 to $400 per year.
How to Open a Pet Sitting Business in the U.S.: Step-by-Step Guide
Step 1. Choose Your Pet-Sitting Services
Pet sitting encompasses several service formats, each with different pricing and staffing implications. Common offerings include in-home visits (30 to 60 minutes), overnight stays, dog walking, cat sitting, and add-on services such as pet taxi, medication administration, and small-pet care (birds, reptiles, small mammals). Some operators specialize by species; others build a broader pet care menu.
Step 2. Research Your Local Market
Local market analysis typically covers three areas: pet ownership density (available through Census Bureau data by county), competition from established pet sitters and dog walkers in a 3 to 5 mile radius, and average local pricing. Operators often price by comparing rates on Rover, Wag!, and neighborhood pet-sitting websites in their zip code.
Step 3. Research State Licensing Requirements and Secure Permits
This step is the most administratively important. Requirements vary by state and municipality. Common documents and registrations include:
- Local business license: issued by the city or county clerk, with typical fees of $50 to $400.
- State business registration: LLC, S-Corp, or DBA filing with the Secretary of State ($50 to $500, varies by state).
- Federal Employer Identification Number (EIN): obtained free from IRS.gov, required for hiring, banking, and tax filing.
- State sales tax permit: required in states that tax pet services.
- Kennel or boarding permit: required in most states if pets stay overnight in the sitter’s home; issued by the state department of agriculture.
- Zoning verification: home-based pet businesses often need to confirm compliance with residential zoning codes before boarding overnight guests.
The SBA maintains a state-by-state licensing lookup tool at SBA.gov, and each state’s Secretary of State website lists business formation and registration procedures.
Step 4. Create a Business Plan and Choose a Business Structure
A pet sitting business plan documents the service menu, pricing, target market, marketing strategy, and financial projections. Free templates are available at SBA.gov and through SCORE, an SBA-partner nonprofit.
Common business structures for a small pet care business include sole proprietorship (simplest), single-member LLC (liability separation, widely used for solo operators), and S-Corporation (chosen once revenue and staffing grow). The IRS publishes factual guides on each option.
Step 5. Find a Location or Home-Based Setup
Most pet sitting businesses operate from the sitter’s home or vehicle because the service is delivered at the client’s residence. Operators who offer in-home boarding typically dedicate a room or area of their home to guest pets and verify residential zoning compliance in advance. A dedicated storage area for leashes, crates, cleaning supplies, and pet first aid supplies is standard.
Step 6. Procure Supplies and Equipment
Startup supply lists for a pet sitting business are relatively short. Common items include a scheduling and invoicing app (Time To Pet, Scout, Precise Petcare), backup leashes and collars, cleaning supplies, poop bags, pet first aid kit, treats, and business cards. In-home boarders add crates, pens, and separate feeding bowls. Dog walkers often add a mobile GPS tracker and reflective gear.
Step 7. Set Your Prices
Pet sitting rates vary significantly by region and service type. National surveys commonly cite median rates of $20 to $30 per 30-minute drop-in visit, $20 to $40 per 30-minute dog walk, and $50 to $100 per overnight stay. Add-on fees for holidays, extra pets, medication administration, and last-minute bookings are standard practice.
Step 8. Get Appropriate Pet Sitting Insurance
Standard general liability insurance excludes claims for damage to animals in the sitter’s care through a Care, Custody, or Control (CCC) exclusion. Pet sitters typically purchase a policy that adds a CCC endorsement, covering veterinary bills, lost or deceased pet claims, and legal defense costs. Annual premiums for solo pet sitters typically range from $200 to $600, with policies available through PSI, NAPPS, and specialty pet-business brokers.
Step 9. Launch Marketing
Pet sitting marketing typically combines digital and neighborhood channels. Common tactics include a Google Business Profile listing, a simple website with an online booking form, active profiles on Rover or Wag!, listings in local Nextdoor and Facebook community groups, referral partnerships with veterinarians and groomers, and business cards distributed at local pet stores and dog parks. Social media (Instagram, TikTok) is widely used to showcase pet photos and build local brand recognition.
Is It Also Possible to Open a Pet Sitting Business as a Franchise?
Yes, several U.S. pet care franchise systems operate in the pet sitting, dog walking, and broader pet services market. Franchise operators typically provide brand recognition, marketing support, booking technology, and proven operating systems in exchange for an initial franchise fee and ongoing royalties.
- Fetch! Pet Care: mobile pet sitting and dog walking franchise. Total initial investment of $88,567 to $103,667, with an initial franchise fee of $62,500 (per the 2025 FDD).
- Woofie’s: mobile pet care franchise (pet sitting, dog walking, mobile grooming, mobile spa). Total initial investment of $180,423 to $294,651, with a minimum liquid capital requirement of $70,000.
- Camp Bow Wow: dog daycare and overnight boarding franchise, larger facility model. Total initial investment of $1,216,577 to $2,037,471, franchise fee of $50,000 to $55,500. Owned by Propelled Brands since 2024.
- Dogtopia: dog daycare with more than 290 locations across the U.S. and Canada. Total initial investment of $543,000 to $1,400,000, franchise fee of $50,000.
Prospective franchisees typically review each system’s FDD, examining Item 5 (initial fee), Item 6 (royalty), Item 7 (estimated initial investment), and Item 19 (financial performance representations). State franchise registration portals (California DFPI, Wisconsin DFI, Minnesota Commerce) provide access to current filings.
How Much Will It Cost to Open a Pet Sitting Business in the U.S. in 2026?
Startup costs for a pet sitting business depend largely on whether you operate solo from home or build a mobile team with employees. Because there is no federally published national startup-cost figure, the table below breaks down the typical expenses for a solo operator and identifies whether each figure comes from a government source or an industry-based estimate.
| Cost Item | Solo home-based operator | Multi-sitter mobile operation | Source / Note |
|---|---|---|---|
| Local business license | $50 to $400 | $50 to $400 | City/county clerk (varies by locality) |
| LLC or DBA formation | $50 to $500 | $50 to $500 | Secretary of State (varies by state) |
| EIN registration | Free | Free | IRS.gov |
| Liability insurance with CCC endorsement (annual) | $200 to $600 | $600 to $1,500 | Industry-typical (PSI, NAPPS) |
| Fidelity bond ($10,000 coverage, annual) | $100 to $400 | $150 to $500 | Industry-typical (voluntary) |
| Kennel/boarding permit (if in-home boarding) | $50 to $500 | $50 to $500 | State department of agriculture (varies by state) |
| PSI or NAPPS membership + certification | $150 to $250 | $150 to $250 | PSI (petsit.com), NAPPS (petsitters.org) |
| Supplies (leashes, crates, first-aid, poop bags) | $100 to $500 | $500 to $2,000 | Industry-typical |
| Scheduling and invoicing software (annual) | $300 to $600 | $1,000 to $3,000 | Industry-typical |
| Website, branding, business cards | $200 to $1,000 | $1,000 to $5,000 | Industry-typical |
| Initial marketing | $100 to $500 | $1,000 to $5,000 | Industry-typical |
| Working capital (3 months) | $1,000 to $3,000 | $5,000 to $20,000 | SBA business planning guidance |
| Approximate total startup investment | $1,000 to $8,000 | $10,000 to $40,000 | Synthesis of line items above |
Investment figures for four established U.S. pet care franchise systems with FDD-audited or brand-published primary-source data. Mobile pet sitting franchises feature lower entry costs than daycare and boarding facilities.
The franchise comparison table below uses figures published directly in each system’s FDD and Entrepreneur Franchise 500 listings.
| Franchise Brand | Segment | Initial Franchise Fee | Total Initial Investment | Primary Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fetch! Pet Care | Mobile pet sitting and dog walking | $62,500 | $88,567 to $103,667 | 2025 FDD, Entrepreneur Franchise 500 |
| Woofie’s | Mobile pet care (sitting, walking, grooming) | varies (30% veterans discount) | $180,423 to $294,651 | 2025 FDD, Woofie’s franchise page |
| Dogtopia | Dog daycare, boarding, spa | $50,000 | $543,000 to $1,400,000 | 2025 FDD, Entrepreneur Franchise 500 |
| Camp Bow Wow | Dog daycare and boarding | $50,000 to $55,500 | $1,216,577 to $2,037,471 | 2025 FDD, Propelled Brands |
How to Get Funding to Open a Pet Sitting Business
Because a solo home-based pet sitting business can launch on a four-figure budget, many operators start with personal savings. For those seeking outside funding, several federal and private options exist:
- SBA Microloan: loans up to $50,000, commonly used by small service businesses for equipment, working capital, and marketing.
- SBA 7(a) loan: general-purpose loan up to $5 million, applicable to franchise purchases and larger multi-sitter operations.
- SBA Community Advantage program: mission-focused loans up to $350,000 for underserved markets.
- Business credit cards and personal lines of credit: often used for low-cost startup expenses.
- Veteran discounts: several pet care franchises, including Woofie’s, offer initial franchise fee reductions for honorably discharged veterans.
Good to know
Care, Custody, or Control (CCC) coverage is the single most commonly overlooked insurance item when starting a pet sitting business. Standard general liability policies exclude claims for damage to animals in the sitter’s care, which means a policy without a CCC endorsement does not cover veterinary bills or lost-pet claims. Annual CCC-endorsed policies for solo sitters typically cost $200 to $600.
Frequently Asked Questions about Starting a Pet Sitting Business in the U.S.
Total startup costs for a solo, home-based pet sitting business typically fall between $1,000 and $8,000, covering local licensing, CCC-endorsed liability insurance, a fidelity bond, supplies, and basic scheduling software. A multi-sitter mobile operation generally runs from $10,000 to $40,000. A franchise unit ranges from about $88,000 to over $2 million, depending on whether the concept is mobile pet sitting (Fetch!, Woofie’s) or facility-based dog daycare (Dogtopia, Camp Bow Wow).
There is no federal license to become a pet sitter. Most operators register with their city or county for a local business license and form an LLC or DBA at the state level. Insurance is not federally mandated, but liability insurance with a Care, Custody, or Control (CCC) endorsement is the industry standard because standard general liability policies exclude claims for damage to animals in the sitter’s care. Operators who board pets overnight in their home typically need a kennel permit from the state department of agriculture.
The lowest-cost pathway involves launching as a solo sole proprietor with a free EIN from IRS.gov, a small local business license, and no employees. Marketing costs can be reduced by relying on free channels: Google Business Profile, Nextdoor and Facebook community groups, referrals from veterinarians, and profiles on platforms like Rover or Wag!. For essential expenses such as insurance and supplies, the SBA Microloan program offers loans up to $50,000, and business credit cards are commonly used to bridge the first months of operation.
This content is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal, tax, financial, or professional advice. Laws and regulations vary by state and individual circumstances and may change over time. Readers should consult a qualified attorney, tax professional, or other licensed professional regarding their specific situation. Nothing herein creates an attorney-client relationship.
